Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups

There aren’t many must-add waiver additions off most waiver wires this week, so I’m splitting this up into players who you can possibly play this week and players who you might not want to play this week, but whose value can improve over time and should be picked up sooner than later. Ownership percentages are taken from Yahoo.

Possibly a play for this week and hold value for the foreseeable future:

Darren McFadden/Alfred Morris – 52%/55% owned

With Zeke possibly out for six weeks, either Darren McFadden or Alfred Morris or both can become very fantasy relevant. Figuring out who that is right now will drive you nuts, so adding both is the preferred option if you have the bench space. My guess has always been Darren McFadden because of his preseason usage and the grooming the team has done for him to be the starter when Zeke was expected to miss the first six weeks of the season. McFadden is a 3-down back and Morris is an early down back; that alone is worth taking the gamble on McFadden because of the higher upside. If McFadden isn’t available, Morris is an almost equally good add in case Morris has shown enough while active to be named the starter. McFadden being inactive doesn’t move the needle either way for me; there are arguments on both sides. Bottom line: One of these guys will become very valuable if Zeke misses time. Update: Zeke is back for the next two weeks. Spend your FAAB elsewhere for now, or get these guys on the cheap if they’re available on your waiver wire.

Orleans Darkwa – 12% owned

Darkwa has looked good in his limited opportunity so far this year. With Paul Perkins out, there was an opportunity for grabs, and Darkwa seems to have taken advantage of it. So far this season, he’s run for 5.69 yards per carry and had 21 rushes for 117 yards in Denver, who has literally shut down some very good running backs prior to this week. The Giants lost all of their WRs and Ben McAdoo has given up playcalling duties, so there is a chance that the Giants move to a run first team. That bodes well for Darkwa. The hope is that this doesn’t turn into a timeshare, but for now he’s a must-add.

Rob Kelley – 44% owned

Kelley has been hurt most of this year, but he’s still the starter in Washington. It seems like the team doesn’t have much faith in Samaje Perine right now, as Chris Thompson started the game and played on most early downs, a role that Jay Gruden was very reluctant for Thompson to play. Kelley should be back this week, and regain his starting role. He should still get 15-20 carries a game, plus goal line touches. This offense is starting to click, and Kelley should benefit.

John Brown – 44% owned

As long he’s healthy, Brown is the #2 passing option for Carson Palmer. He’s had a TD in 2 straight games, and had one in the game before that, except it got called back because of a bad call. He hasn’t blown up yet, and Fitzgerald is due for a decline after midseason like he’s been doing the past couple of years.

Sterling Shepard – 52% owned

Shepard is hurt right now, but he’ll be back either this week or next. With the Giants losing all of their WRs, Shepard is the last man standing. He already has a rapport with Eli, so he should receive a much larger target share than he’s used to. It’s possible he becomes a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3, just based on volume.

Nelson Agholor – 55% owned

Agholor hasn’t received the volume that we like to see when starting a WR, but he’s been very efficient with his touches. The hope is that he gets increased looks, while maintaining some efficiency. He’s found his home in the slot, and has a clear rapport with Carson Wentz.

Robert Woods – 8% owned

Woods has quietly become the most consistent receiving option on the Rams. Woods should see a ton of Justin Bethel this week, and that’s good for him.. like really good for him and anyone else who sees Justin Bethel. Woods is averaging 7 targets over the last 4 weeks and is averaging almost 5 catches per week. He went 66 yards or higher 3 out of the last 4 weeks. If you need depth or someone to start this week, Woods isn’t a bad option.

Wendell Smallwood – 34% owned

Smallwood is the favorite to see the most touches on a weekly basis in Philadelphia. He’s the preferred pass-catching option, but he’s been hurt, so no one has been paying attention to him. He’s a great depth add, and someone you can plug into a starting lineup in PPR and come out with a fine day on most weeks. Not sure if he’ll be back this week, but he’s still a good add either way.

Marlon Mack – 46% owneed (late addition)

With Robert Turbin being declared out for the season late Tuesday, Mack becomes a great add in the hopes that he should get more playing time behind Frank Gore. Mack is an explosive, home run type of player who can win you a week if he can get the touches. That’s a big if right now, but there is a void behind Frank Gore that Mack should be able to grab a hold of.

Mohamed Sanu – 20% owned

Sanu might come back this week to a great matchup against the Patriots. He’s been getting a healthy target volume before he got hurt, averaging 7 a game. He’s playable in PPR leagues while he’s on the field on a good offense. Not the best play, but someone you can play in a pinch.

Eric Decker – 43% owned

Decker showed some signs of life on Monday night. He had his best day on the Titans so far, catching 7 of 9 targets for 88 yards. While Marcus Mariota was forced to stay within the pocket because of his hamstring injury, Decker was the best at getting open and Mariota was able to find him. Hopefully he gets more looks because of this, because Decker can become a high-end WR3 if this continues. I’m not necessary starting him next week, but the matchup isn’t bad at all. You can do worse. Adding him is more about his long term potential.

Jonathan Stewart – 54% owned

A lot of people are dropping Jonathan Stewart right now, and I get it. But he’s getting volume in most games, and that type of volume becomes very valuable in the second half of the season, when defenses are banged up and RBs are scarce. He’s had 12+ carries in every game except this past Thursday night, and Christian McCaffrey is the better back to own, but in standard leagues, Stewart will be very usable in a few weeks. I’m not starting him now, but I’m stashing him for later in the year. If you need to cut him because of some new, shiny player I totally understand that.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins – 63% owned

ASJ is the #1 option on the Jets and Josh McCown loves tight ends. I think he’s been on this list for three straight weeks. He’s averaged 5 targets the first two weeks back from suspension, then had 8 targets, then 11 this past week. He scored a TD the past two weeks, almost had two last week if it wasn’t for a horrible reversal on a review, and continues to be their #1 red zone option. Pick him up, throw him in your lineup, you’ll be fine. Great matchup this week.

Austin Hooper – 50% owned

Hooper is finally being used and looks good. This is likely a product of Mohamed Sanu’s injury, and Sanu is coming back soon, so either Hooper will move back into irrelevance or they will realize that he’s a great receiving TE and continue to use him. He has upside, so I’m keeping him if you need a TE.

George Kittle – 8% owned

Kittle is the 49ers new shiny weapon on offense. He saw 91% of team snaps this past week along with 8 targets. 7 of 8 of those targets came from new starting QB for the 49ers, CJ Beathard. He has upside, and since the 49ers will be down in most games, he’ll usually be in a positive game script.

Nick O’Leary – 0% owned

After Charles Clay went down with an injury in Week 5, O’Leary stepped right into that role and caught 5 of 6 targets for 54 yards. I might not start him right away, but I would pick him up in case he has a good week and becomes the go-to. He’ll be startable as long as Clay is out.

Ben Watson – 16% owned

Jeremy Maclin has been banged up, and Watson has been getting targeted funneled in his direction. The Ravens’ offense has been all over the place, but Watson should be a decent PPR day this week, and if he continues to get the targets that Flacco likes to give TEs, he’ll be somewhat valuable.

Possibly a play only for this week and maybe next:

Bennie Fowler – 2% owned

With Emanuel Sanders out this week and possibly next, Fowler becomes a guy who should get more targets. Trevor Siemian should be fine to play this week, and we’ve seen some rapport between him and Fowler. He’s a plug and play this week if you don’t have any other options, as Casey Hayward will likely shadow Demaryius Thomas.

Matt Forte – 22% owned

With Bilal Powell hurt, and possibly out this week, Matt Forte should get most of the touches this week against the Dolphins. Elijah McGuire didn’t get that much playing time, so Forte is a decent play if Powell can’t go. Forte caught all 8 of his targets for 59 yards, the type of volume that is very encouraging and gives me confidence to have him in my lineup.

Taylor Gabriel – 29% owned

If Sanu is out again this week, I’m firing up Gabriel against this really bad Patriots defense. He got the volume we were looking for last week with 8 targets, so he should have a better day with that volume in New England.

Chris Ivory – 4% owned

Leonard Fournette went down with what seemed like a bad injury, but it seems like he just sprained his ankle and should be okay. I’m still picking up Ivory in case he can’t go this week, and Ivory also becomes a good stash and handcuff for Fournette, since the Jaguars have become a run-first team and do not want to put any game in the hands of Blake Bortles.

Longer term stash:

Marvin Jones – 55% owned

Golden Tate will need a few weeks to recover from his AC joint sprain, so Marvin Jones becomes the clear #1 option in the passing game for the Lions. The Lions are on bye this week, so you might be able to get Jones for free later this week once you know who you’re going to start this week. Jones had a season high and league high 14 targets this past week, and had 100 yards along with an amazing TD grab. If the targets go his way, Jones has the ability to be a WR2.

Kenny Golladay – 15% owned

I’m not starting Golladay once the Lions come out of their bye, but he should be healthy by then. He’s a stash to see if he gets more looks from Stafford, and if he does, he can be a big-time receiver in a pass happy offense.

Josh Doctson – 6% owned

Doctson’s snap totals recently have been very disappointing, as he’s only played on 19 snaps this past week. Jay Gruden did say he wants to get Doctson more involved, but I have to see it before I believe it. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Washington, but if he becomes close to a #1 option, he has great potential.

Jordan Matthews – 26% owned

Matthews wasn’t killing it by any means before he got hurt, but this team doesn’t have any weapons. He was the preferred WR in Buffalo and he can continue to become a go-to option for Tyrod Taylor. I’m not starting him anytime soon, but Buffalo has some good matchups and Matthews can take advantage of them once he gets targets going his way. He’s still hurt, and not guaranteed to come back this week, but he’ll be back soon.

Juju Smith-Schuster – 14% owned

Juju is now the new #2 receiver for Pittsburgh, who hasn’t really been playing all that well. Leveon Bell and Antonio Brown have got their numbers, but as a whole, this offense isn’t clicking. Martavis Bryant has been a disappointment, but he’s had some tough matchups, in my opinion. Juju is going to play some slot, and some outside, and his role can improve as the weeks go on. You can start him in PPR this week but he has a low ceiling right now. I’m not starting him right now; he’s more of a wait and see in this potentially explosive offense.

Thomas Rawls/Eddie Lacy – 23%/28% owned

Everyone is off of these guys right now, as you can tell by their ownership percentage, but there’s still a possibility of one of them having the job all to themselves. If that is the case, one of them becomes valuable and then becomes a #1 waiver priority add the following week. I’m trying to get one of these guys on my roster in case it becomes a 1-man show on early downs. My bet and guess, to be honest, is Thomas Rawls because he got the higher snap count in the last game, but Lacy did barely out-touch him. It’s any person’s guess, but Rawls has been a favorite of the coaches, including Pete Carroll.

D’onta Foreman – 15% owned

A lot of people will be dropping Foreman this week because of the bye, so this is your chance to scoop him up as a long term stash. Foreman doesn’t hold much standalone value, but if anything were to happen to Lamar Miller, Foreman becomes an instant RB1 in that offense.

Roger Lewis – 20% owned

Lewis can possibly have some value with all of the injuries at wide receiver for the Giants. We saw him catch a TD after the WRs went down in Week 5, but we probably won’t see him produce until after the bye. I don’t think there will be many people stashing him now, so keep an eye out as the bye comes to an end; you can probably pick him up then.

Tanner Gentry – 0% owned – very deep league

Super deep add. Gentry and Mitch Trubisky had a really good rapport in the preseason, which is why the Bears brought him back on board last week. Not only that, but they threw him in on 95% of plays. He got a target, but the Bears hardly threw the ball. If a WR becomes relevant, it can be Gentry. I’m not starting him, just a prospective add.

Week 7 QB Streamers

Don’t have the best options this week, but at least all of these guys are at home against very beatable secondaries. Choosing between players ~<50% ownership on Yahoo.

Tyrod Taylor vs Tampa Bay

Not excited about any of these guys, but I would take my shot with Taylor even with no weapons. His rushing floor keeps his floor higher than most, and he finds a way to get it done for fantasy purposes. The Bucs secondary is very beatable, so I would go Tyrod out of these four options.

Jared Goff vs Arizona

Arizona has given up a ton of points to QBs, and even if Patrick Peterson takes away Sammy Watkins or plays a side, Goff doesn’t depend on one guy anyway. He spreads the ball around, so the advantage Arizona usually has doesn’t apply as much to Goff. Otherwise, this defense is beatable.

CJ Beathard vs Dallas

The 49ers are going to have to throw, and Beathard seemed capable of moving the ball. He peppered Garcon and Kittle with targets, and should be able to continue to do that against Dallas’ beatable defense.

Brett Hundley vs NO

The Saints defense has gotten better, but still has a ton of holes. Hundley has been learning the system for three years now, so he should be serviceable in a good system with good weapons against a beatable defense.

Week 7 DEF Streamers

Not that many great choices this week here either. Favorite out of these choices is Buffalo. They’ve been very solid all year for fantasy purposes, and the matchup doesn’t scare me, especially if Winston is forced to miss the game.